SOC 35-2011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Cooks, Fast Food — Huntington
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH · 5 metro areas compared
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Huntington, WV is $22,610 per year, substantially below the national median of $30,890 — a gap of 26.8%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Huntington, WV is $22,610 per year, substantially below the national median of $30,890 — a gap of 26.8%. Pay ranges from under $21,010 at the tenth percentile to more than $27,680 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $22,090 to $26,710.
The area has 3,070 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 21.8 of every thousand jobs. Weirton leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $23,710. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 380th of 380 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $21,010 | −32.0% |
| 25th | $22,090 | −28.5% |
| Median (50th) | $22,610 | −26.8% |
| 75th | $26,710 | −13.5% |
| 90th | $27,680 | −10.4% |
| Mean | $24,150 | −21.8% |
Other metro areas in West Virginia
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weirton | $23,710 | 450 | |
| 2 | Charleston | $23,180 | 2,230 | |
| 3 | Wheeling | $23,110 | 810 | |
| 4 | Parkersburg | $22,780 | 1,120 | |
| 5 | Beckley | $22,370 | 1,170 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Huntington run 10.5% below the national average, so the median of $22,610 goes as far as $25,263 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 18.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$22,610as reported by BLSLocal price level
89.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$25,263US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $22,610 a year, 26.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $21,010 to $27,680 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 3,070 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Weirton, at $23,710.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Cooks, Fast Food in Huntington, WV?
The median annual wage is $22,610, or $10.87 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $30,890, so pay in Huntington, WV is 26.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Huntington, WV earns more than $27,680 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $21,010 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Weirton, at $23,710 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 3,070 jobs in this occupation in Huntington, WV. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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